A fire alert flag flies in the wind at the headquarters of Irvine Regional Park in Orange as Santa Ana winds will be strongest Thursday Dec. 7. and continue into next week. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The winds were expected to gain strength today with 18 to 24 hours of strong winds including gusts of up to 75 mph in some areas, before the winds gradually weaken Friday through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

“This is a significant period,” the NWS said in a statement. “Winds this strong may down trees and power lines, causing property damage or power outages. Cross winds can make driving difficult, especially for drivers of high-profile vehicles towing trailers.”

There is a chance that critical conditions will continue through the middle of next week, with a possible slight increase in winds Sunday through Tuesday and humidity between 6 to 12 percent in many areas, the NWS warned.

People are urged to use extreme caution with fire ignition sources, with strong potential for fires to spark and spread rapidly.

Temperatures in Los Angeles County today are expected to hover in the 70s, with highs of 77 in Woodland Hills; 78 in Pasadena; 79 in Downtown L.A., San Gabriel, Burbank and at LAX; and 80 in Long Beach.

Orange County is expected to see sunny skies and strong winds with highs of 73 in Laguna Beach; 75 in San Clemente; 77 in Newport Beach and Yorba Linda; 79 in Fullerton and 80 in Irvine.

Temperatures will hover between 69 to 77 degrees in Riverside County and much of the Inland Empire.

Kelly Puente covers courts and criminal justice for the Register. She has worked as a journalist since 2006 covering everything from education to crime and breaking news. Kelly previously worked at the Long Beach Press-Telegram before joining the Register in 2013.

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